You say that something is a sobering thought or has a sobering effect when a situation seems serious and makes you become serious and thoughtful.
例句
Statistics paint a sobering picture — unemployment, tight credit, lower home values, sluggish job growth.统计数据描绘了一幅不容乐观的画面：失业率攀升，信贷从紧，家庭观念淡薄，就业机会增长缓慢。The events of October 1987 had a sobering effect on managers of large funds.1987 年 10 月的事件令那些管理大量资金的经理变得冷静了许多。